GLOBAL CRACKDOWN

Signs in Amsterdam warn against smoking Cannabis in public.

AMSTERDAM’S

COFFEESHOPCRACKDOWN

“People who come to smoke weed aren’t the ones causing the disturbance,” he asserts. “Usually, it’s guys being loud on the street and being drunk – and those aren’t typical coffeeshop people.” So if drunk people are causing most of the problems, BCD representatives argue, why not ban tourists from bars? They also point out that the ban will only exacerbate the very criminality officials claim to be concerned about. “If you want to prevent an illegal market, then coffeeshops are essential,” says Helms. “Every smoker that’s not allowed in a coffeeshop is one that buys his weed from an illegal dealer!” According to them, the tourist ban is bad policy for several reasons: It endangers tourists by exposing them to shady street dealers who also sell hard drugs, carry weapons and rip people off; it funnels revenue from Cannabis sales into the hands of criminals, rather than regulated, tax-paying businesses; and it forces tourists to consume their Cannabis out in public, rather than inside designated shops, thus exposing passersby to their smoke. “With the US and Canada legalizing, Cannabis culture is FOR THE PAST HALF-CENTURY, Amsterdam has been considered the Cannabis capital of Europe, if not the world. Long before legalization seemed possible here in America, Amsterdam’s coffeeshops were the only place where one could buy and consume border municipalities (where many rowdy tourists enter from neighboring countries like Germany, France, Britain and Belgium) rather than in Amsterdam, where weed tourism comprises a significant portion of the city’s economy. Sadly though, it looks like that’s about to change. Earlier this year, Amsterdam’s first female mayor Femonly getting bigger and bigger,” Helms observes. “So instead of closing shops to tourists, we should embrace what this city was always known for and legalize. That’s the best, most obvious solution.” marijuana openly without fear of criminal repercussion – ke Halsema, proposed, among other things, enforcing As of now, plans to relocate thanks to the Netherlands’ policy of “soft drug” tolerance the wietpas ban in the capital for the first time. In a letter the Red Light District from the (gedoogbeleid). But over the past decade, that tolerance to the city council on January 8, Halsema outlined a se- city center to a new “sex zone” has eroded due to the right-leaning Christian national ries of policy changes regarding the city’s Cannabis in- on the outskirts of town are government and complaints from the citizenry. dustry. Aside from the so-called “residence criterion,” the already underway, and the

Just before the pandemic, tourism to Amsterdam was proposal would also institute new licensing requirements Cannabis control proposal is at an all-time high – averaging nearly 2 million visitors per month – half of whom were there, THE LOSS OF to legalize the supply chain – allowing shops to purchase their Cannabis legally on track to take effect next year. Even if the ban does go into at least in part, to visit some of the city’s 166 CANNABIS from government-approved sources (thus effect, however, many predict it

Cannabis coffeeshops and/or infamous Red Light TOURISM IS eliminating the problem of illegal “back- will be short-lived, as the loss

District. Residents have long decried the throngs of ill-behaved tourists who reportedly piss, puke, litter, shout and fight in their streets, and seeing the city tourist-free during the COVID lockdown has SURE TO HAVE A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THE door” suppliers who are often connected to organized crime) and keep more stock on-premises. However, these new requirements would also limit the number of Cannabis tourism is sure to have a devastating effect on the city’s economy – not just the coffeeshop owners, but also hoonly spotlighted these “overtourism” complaints. CITY’S ECONOMY of locations each coffeeshop brand can tels, tour operators, restaurants

To address these “quality of life” concerns, the operate and eliminate over half of the and other businesses.

Dutch government began taking steps to reduce tourism: remaining coffeeshops in the city. Hopefully, a fairer comprobanning new hotels and tourist-targeted businesses As expected, coffeeshop owners are pushing back mise can be negotiated that (such as Red Light tours and souvenir shops), restricting hard against these measures. Joachim “Joa” Helms, addresses residents’ legitimate

Airbnb rentals and increasing their “tourist tax.” In 2012, co-owner of the legendary Green House coffeeshop and concerns, while still allowing they introduced the “wietpas” (weed pass) policy, which spokesman for the Dutch Cannabis Retailers Association tourists to continue enjoying banned non-residents from visiting coffeeshops; howev- (BCD), says that the coffeeshop industry is being unfairly Amsterdam’s world-renowned er, until now, the policy has been enforced primarily in targeted for the problem of misbehaving tourists. coffeeshop culture.